NL Central

NL West

Now Commenting On:

Postgame interview with Bruce Bochy

Postgame interview with Bruce Bochy

Email

Print

By
/
MLB.com |

Q. You've had some issues getting some clutch hits this year, but talk about the ninth and how your offense came through there.

BRUCE BOCHY: I mean, great inning. Started with Ishi, he found a way to get on base, and we're down to a strike there. Sanchez, battling up there and, you know, Huff's facing a tough lefty. He found a way to get it done. And we'll get a break there.

But to come back like that after a two run homer in the bottom of the 8th, I mean, that can take the wind out of your sails. And these guys came right back and found a way to get it done. That is a great win.

Q. Can you kind of walk us through that sequence there when you decide that it's time to get Sanchez out and you end up with the match-up there?

BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, I thought they may make a change. We thought, or I did, that Sanchez was at that point. I mean, what a job he did. It didn't work out. That's not a good feeling when you make a change and they hit a two run homer. But the pen's done a great job all year. We have a lot of confidence in them. Serge just made a mistake there, got the ball up, and they took advantage of it.

But just felt that Sanchy had done his job, he was at that point, and we had a fresh pen down there and give them credit.

They hit the home run they needed, but, again, what was important is how we handled it. We came right back and found a way to get a couple of runs.

Q. Can you describe just the emotions that you and the team are going through in that 9th inning?

BRUCE BOCHY: Well, a very intense game. Great game. Two starting pitchers that were going at it, and pitching very well. You're living on the edge with a 1-0 lead. We had a couple of pretty good opportunities. We couldn't get another run there and didn't have any margin of error. They hit a two-run homer, so, you know, that's deflating a little bit. No getting around it.

But that 9th inning, emotions are running high, especially when Huff got the big hit we were looking for to tie the game. That's what you want to do. Then, of course, scoring the winning run, especially in this situation. It's a great feeling down there.

Q. Was it evident early on that Sanchez had this kind of stuff, and does his performance kind of go to what you said to the last week, the last month, pretty much all year about his confidence and his ability to play?

BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, he's been throwing the ball so well. He pitched a big game there Sunday, and I think that was a great experience for him, and he handled everything so well the way he carried himself. You're in a little bit of a hostile situation here on the road, and kept us focused out there and made some great pitches. Had his stuff going.

Couple times we get out of sync, but he'd find it and make pitches when he had to.

Q. Now that you've got a second win under your belt, do you want to let us know who your Game 4 starter is?

BRUCE BOCHY: Our Game 4 starter will be Madison Bumgarner. He's all set to go, so he'll be out there tomorrow.

Q. All of those close games and intense things you went through during the regular season, does that prepare you for what happened tonight?

BRUCE BOCHY: I think no question. The way we play, they call it Giants baseball torture. You know, it's experience that you're able to draw on. It's the way we play. A lot of tight games, if play enough of them, guys get accustomed to it. They know how big every pitch, every play, every at-bat is. Even in the 9th there, the way they grinded out at-bats, that's pretty impressive off some tough pitchers and found a way to get it done.

Q. Game 4 starter, Madison Bumgarner, if you look, he hasn't pitched in ten days and he's 21 years old. Just talk about what kind of level of confidence you have in him stepping up in this kind of situation.

BRUCE BOCHY: He's done a great job for us since he's come up. He's 21 years old, but the way he handles himself, you wouldn't know it. He's got great poise out there and good stuff. You know, we'll be facing a good pitcher, too.

But we have all the confidence in the world that Madison will go out there and give us everything he's got. This kid has no fear. He's a young kid that has a great way about how he handles things. He'll go out there and compete.

Q. This might be a dumb question, given that it's the other side and you all will take anything to win. But is there some part of you that feels for what Conrad goes through tonight?

BRUCE BOCHY: I don't care to comment on that, really. Anything about the other club, I've got enough concerns here in my club.

Q. How big of a hit was that for Huff? He had been struggling in the series offensively?

BRUCE BOCHY: Yeah, it was big. He hit the ball harder earlier right to Lee. He's hit some balls decent, but that's probably he'll tell you, it could be one of the biggest hits he's gotten.

Especially in a situation we're down a run, you face a tough lefty, and they just took the lead. That's the only way we tie the game right there is a base hit, and he got it done. I'm sure -- I mean, he was so excited, obviously fired up with what happened.

Q. You made the move to have Fontenot in the lineup and to third base, how about the way he came through today?

BRUCE BOCHY: Great job Font did. Got us on the board there. Hit the triple. We get a little break there.

He's a professional. That's why he was in there today. He does a good job on defense. Gives you quality at-bats and he got us on the board early, which is what we're hoping for.